It’s considered one of most dangerous places on earth. And many had written off Afghanistan’s presidential election even before it began. But despite the threat of violence to keep voters away from the polls, seven million people cast ballots over the weekend. That’s 64 percent more than the turnout in the 2009 election.

Eight candidates are in the fray to succeed Hamid Karzai – and it may be weeks before Afghans know who their next leader is. The world is closely watching these elections because Afghanistan remains the focus of competing interests in the region. India, Pakistan, China, Russia and the US have high-stakes investments in the next government in Kabul.

Afghanistan Awaits Election Results

Sean Callebs, who who has covered Afghanistan for years, is in Kabul reporting on the election.

CCTV’s Anand Naidoo interviews Peter Galbraith, first US Ambassador to Croatia and Omar Samad, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to France and Canada on how these elections could shape the country’s domestic and foreign policy.

Impact of Elections on Afghanistan's Foreign Policy

Impact of Elections on Afghanistan's Foreign Policy

CCTV's Anand Naidoo interviews Peter Galbraith, the first US Ambassador to Croatia. In 2009, he was appointed UN Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Omar Samad who was Afghanistan's Ambassador to France and Canada on the elections in Afghanistan.

Nearly sixty percent of Afghans sent a clear message to the Taliban. They want to choose their next President with ballots, not bullets. But will the next President reconcile Afghanistan’s warring ethnic groups and bring the Taliban to the negotiating table? CCTV’s Anand Naidoo interviews Ali Ahmad Jalali who served as Afghanistan’s Interior Minister from 2003 to 2005 to find out more.

Will the Next Afghan President Negotiate with Taliban?

Will the Next Afghan President Negotiate with Taliban?

CCTV's Anand Naidoo interviews Ali Ahmad Jalali, who served as Afghanistan's Interior minister from 2003 to 2005 on the elections in Afghanistan and the road ahead for the next President.